One second after Selene gave the command, a powerful explosion shook the commissioning hall. The locked entrance broke away from its frame, and smoke rolled across the floor.Hilton’s assassins turned their weapons towards the damaged doors. Several of them fired into the smoke before they could see who was entering.Armed fighters appeared through the opening in a tight formation. They wore dark protective clothing marked with black, gold and dark-red patterns. Eagle symbols covered some of their armour, while others carried the image of a jaguar.The fighters did not enter blindly. Two men raised heavy shields while the others fired towards the balcony and concealed wall openings.A tall commander entered behind them and touched the radio beside his neck. “Lady Selene has been located. She is behind the central equipment base with Ethan Xavier.”Selene raised her head slightly. “Clear the balcony and both side passages. Protect Ethan before you come for me.”Hilton stepped from behi

“Place them under surveillance. Do not arrest them unless we find evidence that they helped him. I will not punish people for sharing his name.”An officer entered the command area. “Master Ethan, the journalists outside have noticed the military movement. Several reporters heard the explosion. They are demanding to know what happened.”Ethan looked towards the public entrance on the security screen. Journalists had gathered behind the Tribunal barriers. Some were recording the damaged upper windows.“No information about the assassination attempt will reach the press,” Ethan said.Mira lowered her voice. “They already know there was an emergency. We cannot hide that completely.”“They may know there was a security emergency,” Ethan replied. “They must not know that I was the target.”“What explanation should we give them?”“Tell them the private commissioning was stopped after a serious security failure. Say that the building has been closed while investigators examine the matter.”L

The convoy reached Xavier Estate shortly afterwards.The main gates were already closed to visitors. Armed Tribunal soldiers stood around the walls, while additional guards checked every vehicle entering the property.The helicopters remained above the estate as Ethan’s car passed through the first security gate.Staff members gathered near the entrance when the convoy stopped. They expected to see Ethan returning from the commissioning. None of them expected Selene to step out beside him.Lorne opened the rear door.Ethan left the vehicle first before offering his hand to Selene. She looked at it for a moment, then accepted it.The moment she stepped out, surprise spread across the entrance.One maid covered her mouth. Another staff member stared at Selene as though he had seen someone return from the dead.“Lady Selene?” the estate manager whispered. “We were told you were still—”“Everybody should return to their duties,” Ethan interrupted. “Nobody outside this estate is to know th

Ethan remembered everyone whose judgment he had accepted instead. Hilton had offered reports. Advisers had praised the project. Medical leaders had defended it. Selene alone warned him without asking for honour or power.“You are my wife,” he admitted quietly. “I know that your warning should have mattered much more to me.”“But it did not,” Selene replied.Ethan had no defence. He treated Selene’s warning as a challenge to his authority rather than protection.“I believed proof made me careful.”Selene shook her head. “It made you deaf to the one closest to you.”His confidence weakened.The accusation struck Ethan harder than the slap.Selene placed one hand over her stomach. “You also placed our child inside that attack.”“I did not know you would be there.”“You should never have been there either.”Selene moved one hand across her stomach.“I entered because someone had to save you.”“You should not have needed to.”“But I did.”Ethan could not argue. Selene had carried the resul

Ethan looked at her in surprise. “Why?”“Because every time I reveal something you do not understand, you question my motives. You accuse me of hiding another plan or trying to control your decisions.”“I admit that I was wrong to do that.”“You were wrong many times.”“I have admitted it.”“Your admission cannot return the dead soldiers to their families.”Ethan became quiet again.Selene stood from the bed. “You are the Supreme Leader. You control the Tribunal Army, Xavier Group and an intelligence network that reaches across Verdanis. You can handle your problems yourself.”“You know that this is bigger than an ordinary investigation.”“That did not matter when I tried to warn you.”Ethan moved closer. “Do not abandon me because of my mistakes.”Selene’s eyes narrowed. “You call it abandonment when I refuse to solve the problem you created?”“That is not what I meant.”“It is exactly what you meant. You want me beside you now because Hilton has escaped and your investigators cannot